All-Time Race Records
Leaders Late in Race that Failed to Win
Indianapolis 500
In the Indianapolis 500, leading in the later stages of the race never assures victory. Explore a list of the many drivers who have seen victory slip away in the closing laps.
| Year | Driver | Lap Number | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Ralph DePalma | 198 | Engine Trouble |
| 1920 | Ralph DePalma | 186 | Engine Trouble |
| 1924 | Earl Cooper | 176 | Finished Second |
| 1925 | Dave Lewis | 173 | Finished Second |
| 1928 | Tony Gulotta | 181 | Finished Tenth |
| 1934 | Mauri Rose | 174 | Finished Second |
| 1939 | Louis Meyer | 182 | Crashed on Lap 197 |
| 1947 | Bill Holland | 192 | E-Z Board |
| 1952 | Bill Vukovich | 191 | Steering Failure |
| 1960 | Rodger Ward | 196 | Bad Rear Tire |
| 1961 | Eddie Sachs | 197 | Pit Stop for Tire |
| 1966 | Jackie Stewart | 190 | No Oil Pressure |
| 1967 | Parnelli Jones | 196 | Bearing Failure |
| 1968 | Joe Leonard | 191 | Fuel Drive Failure |
| 1972 | Jerry Grant | 187 | Pit Stop for Fuel |
| 1975 | Wally Dallenbach | 161 | Burned Piston (Rain-174) |
| 1977 | Gordon Johncock | 184 | Broken Crankshaft |
| 1978 | Tom Sneva | 180 | Pit Stop for Fuel |
| 1979 | Bobby Unser | 181 | Lost 4th Gear |
| 1981 | Gordon Johncock | 181 | Fuel Pump |
| 1983 | Al Unser | 190 | Finished Second |
| 1986 | Kevin Cogan | 197 | Passed on Restart - Finished Second |
| 1987 | Roberto Guerrero | 182 | Stalled Engine - Finished Second |
| 1989 | Al Unser, Jr. | 198 | Crashed Turn 3 - Finished Second |
| 1991 | Michael Andretti | 187 | Passed Outside Turn 1 By Rick Mears |
| 1992 | Michael Andretti | 189 | Fuel Pump Failure |
| 1993 | Nigel Mansell | 184 | Lost Lead on Restart |
| 1994 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 184 | Hit Wall - Turn 4 |
| 1995 | Scott Goodyear | 195 | Passed Pace Car on Restart (Lap 190) |
| 1996 | Davy Jones | 192 | Passed on Front Stretch by Buddy Lazier |
| 1997 | Scott Goodyear | 194 | Passed by Arie Luyendyk on backstraight |
| 1999 | Robby Gordon | 199 | Pitted for Fuel; Passed in Turn 4 by Kenny Brack |
| 2004 | Adrian Fernandez | 171 | Pitted for fuel; yellow come out for rain on Lap 174 and race is stopped on lap 180. |
| 2005 | Danica Patrick | 193 | Passed by Dan Wheldon in 1st turn of lap 194 |
| 2006 | Marco Andretti | 200 | Passed on front stretch just before the finish line |
| 2007 | Tony Kanaan | 154 | Pitted under yellow, spun on restart at lap 156, pitted again, restart lap 162, yellow on lap 163, then rain halted race at lap 166. |
| 2010 | Helio Castroneves | 192 | Pitted for fuel on lap 192 after taking lead on lap 189 after Justin Wilson pitted for fuel, who had taken lead on lap 178 after Mike Conway had to pit for fuel. |
| 2011 | JR Hildebrand | 200 | Leading the race into the final corner, passed slower car, made contact with outside wall and passed by Wheldon. |
| 2012 | Scott Dixon | 199 | Passed by Franchitti after leading from lap 195. |
| 2013 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 198 | Passed by Kanaan in Turn 1 on a restart after a yellow after leading from lap 193. |
| 2014 | Helio Castroneves | 199 | Passes by Hunter-Reay prior to the start/finish line of lap 199 after taking the lead in Turn 1 of lap 199. |
| 2015 | Will Power | 196 | Passed by Juan Pablo Montoya heading into Turn 1 |
| 2016 | Carlos Munoz | 196 | Pitted for fuel on lap 196 |
| 2018 | Stefan Wilson | 195 | Pitted for fuel on lap 196 |
| 2019 | Alexander Rossi | 198 | Passed by Simon Pagenaud heading into Turn 3 |
| 2020 | Zach Veach | 185 | Pitted for fuel on lap 185, giving lead to Takuma Sato |
| 2021 | Alex Palou | 198 | Passed by Helio Castroneves heading into Turn 1 |
| 2022 | Jimmie Johnson | 190 | Pitted for fuel on Lap 190 |
| 2023 | Marcus Ericsson | 200 | Passed by winner – finished second |
| 2024 | Alexander Rossi | 193 | Passed by winner – finished fourth |
| 2024 | Pato O’Ward | 200 | Passed by winner – finished second |